Second Chance Project

PROJECT DETAILS

Interfaith Sanctuary has purchased the former Salvation Army Thrift Store and Food Pantry property

to relocate the current Interfaith Sanctuary facility located at 1620 W. River Street, near downtown Boise.

The interior of the existing facilities will be renovated to provide housing for homeless families, single men, single

women and medically fragile individuals. In addition to the housing component, operational facilities such as

administrative offices, caseworker offices, recovery program classrooms, community rooms, a computer room,

laundry facilities and client intake areas will be located in the larger building. A new commercial kitchen,

teaching facility and dining room will be located in the smaller building previously used as The Salvation Army

Food Pantry.

A new Day Center will be located in the northwest corner of the property and the current unused open areas

north of the buildings will be developed for daily client use.

Bed Counts for guests served:

Men

 

 

 

Bunk Beds

18

 

Single Beds

24

 

Single Room

15

Women

 

 

 

Bunkbeds

6

 

Single  Beds

10

 

Double Room

10

Families

 

 

 

Family Suites

94 + room for cribs

Medically Fragile

 

 

 

Semi-Private Suites

22

Temporary Emergency

 

 

 

 

determined by conditions

Total

 

199 + cribs

 

 

 

FAQ

base!How many people will you serve at this building?

199 Guests plus cribs for babies

 

Are my property values going to go down if you move here and if yes, what are you going to do about that?

There are several studies that look at the impact of supportive and transitional housing projects moving into a neighborhood as well at emergency shelters. The most common data shows that in cases where there are supportive services and access to shelter throughout the day the property values were not affected and in some cases the values went up. By creating a shelter that allows for daytime and nighttime services this eliminates the need for the homeless guests to find a place to be until the shelter opens back up. The supportive services, meals, access to bathrooms, shower and protected outdoor space reduces group gatherings and crime rates. The numbers that increase regarding crime in a neighborhood with a new shelter is normally attributed to crimes against the homeless, not an increase in crime in the neighborhood.

How will you keep people from parking their cars in front of our houses?

Current parking lot: 10 spaces

New location: 30 spaces

For our guests with car insurance, registration and a valid driver’s license, they will be permitted to park in our lot. All other cars will be moved to a secure parking lot (we are currently negotiating a lease on a property) to store our guests cars until they are able to legally operate their vehicle. For any guest parking in an unauthorized parking space, we can be reached on our 24 hour shelter phone to manage the issue for you.

Why did you choose an area that is already predominantly low income to put a shelter?

We have been looking for a new location for our shelter to help increase shelter and services for over 3 years. Based on size, location and budget of project this location would allow us to move to an area where our guests would be able to receive more safety, security, privacy and space while still being on a bus line, having access to needed services like grocery, drug store, bank and employment options. We did not target a certain town or income level.

Is the City forcing you to move your shelter so they can increase the value of the real estate where your current shelter is?

NO! Interfaith Sanctuary is a privately funded non-profit that bases our decision on the needs of the community we serve.  

What will you do about the drugs, loitering, trash and criminal behavior that will come with your move to our neighborhood?

WE PROMISE TO WORK WITH ANY ISSUES THAT OCCUR OUTSIDE OF OUR SHELTER PROPERTY. We will have a 24/7 phone number that anyone in the neighborhood can call to assist with any issues including loitering, littering, mental health concerns, someone who looks like they need help, cars in neighborhoods. All of this will be dealt with swiftly. We will also have in place neighborhood behavior contracts for all of our guests so they understand the rules as a guest of our shelter and their responsibilities as your neighbors. 

Where will the guests go during the day when the shelter is closed?

Our guests will not be asked to leave our shelter. Our operations include daytime programming plus a day shelter which allows our guests a place to be when they are not working on programming, going to work or managing personal needs. The day shelter provides supportive services, case management, access to computers and bathrooms, meal service, laundry and activities.

Will you be operating a soup kitchen for anyone in need of a meal?

Our food service program will be for the guests who are currently staying at our shelter.  Corpus will continue to operate downtown and will offer meals to anyone in need in the downtown area along with Boise Rescue Mission.

Why are you moving your shelter away from all of the homeless services?

Interfaith Sanctuary provides many of the services our guests need within our own building. Our partners include several agencies that will bring their staffing and support directly to our guests. We will be providing our own day shelter and CATCH will have a satellite office at our new location to help serve the housing needs. We have an outreach medical program through Family Medicine Residency of Idaho and most other services are not located within walking distance of any of our shelters. We provide transportation to health and welfare, the DMV, Social Security, Doctors appointments, counselor appointments, etc. Transportation has been a major part of our programming in the past 6 years based on the public transit struggles our guests deal with on a regular basis.

Will the homeless start setting up camps in our neighborhood to receive your daytime services?

The guests that utilize a shelter are actually asking for a safe place to stay. Those in our homeless population who choose to live outside because of shelter resistance will not relocate to this area. They are not looking for shelter. This building is allowing us to add more beds which will in effect reduce the numbers of people who sometimes do need to stay outside because our shelter is full. This shelter actually offers the solution for reducing people having to sleep outside, loitering because they have nowhere to go during the day and improve safety with a secured location where our most vulnerable can’t be preyed on because they are no longer stuck out on the street.

The Good Neighbor Agreement:

A Good Neighbor Agreement (GNA) establishes a vision and sets goals for how residents, businesses, and services will work together to support mutual success, communicate, and address concerns and solve problems.

Participants hope to work together toward the following goals:

  • Initiate and maintain open – transparent – proactive communications
  • Develop clear expectations and procedures for resolving problems
  • Enhance neighborhood safety and livability while promoting access to services
  • Foster positive relationships between the shelter and neighbors
  • Provide adequate services & staffing support 24/7
  • Maintain a 24/7 shelter phone number
  • Establish clear expectations & rules for shelter guests that promotes guest & resident safety
  • Encourage guests to be good neighbors by:
  • Reducing litter
  • Discouraging large groups from gathering in public areas
  • Minimizing the impact on neighbors of smoking
  • Encourage guests to have a sense of ownership in the community
  • Invite neighbors to build connections & working relationships with the shelter
  • Maintain cleanliness within & around the shelte